Learning objectives
The student must be able to:
- Understand, analyze and comment written and oral texts on the geography of food and gastronomic cultures of the world;
- describe the elements characterizing the different cuisines on the world scene;
- to relate traditions and gastronomic specialties and their respective geographical contexts of origin, production and consumption;
- identify the protagonists of the international culinary market and describe their work, contributions and value;
- place specific products and dishes from foreign countries in the geo-socio-political context;
- make comparisons between different culinary realities;
- illustrate the transformations that have taken place in the gastronomic sector following the transnational and transcontinental migrations of products;
- report on significant events in the socio-economic history of food
Prerequisites
Basic notions of gastronomy, geography and English language
Course unit content
Food geography. Gastronomic cultures of the world.
Characteristics, processing and consumption of agri-food products and foreign gastronomic specialties. Wines and drinks in foreign identities. Taste and flavors in 'other' kitchens.
Full programme
Food geography.
Origins of the main agri-food productions, their diffusion and geo-political, historical and economic location.
Gastronomic cultures in the world. Introduction to the great extra-national culinary cultures.
Eating habits outside the Italian borders and the taste of other cuisines.
Systems of cooking, conservation and methods of consumption of food.
Comparative analysis of the cuisines of the continents and their historical evolution.
Spices: history, production and properties; millennial transcontinental flows and traffic.
The actors, the dishes and the places of contemporary gastronomy.
Asia
Middle East
The cuisines of Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, Israel, Iran, Iraq, India.
Turkey, Ottoman imperial cuisine vs. Anatolian cuisine.
Caviar, an Iranian story.
Baghdad, the capital of the Arab taste of yesterday.
Geography of Jewish cuisine and some specialties.
Far East
History, dishes and traditional foods of the millenary cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.
Mondo-noodles: monograph.
Soy, seaweed and sushi revolution.
Thai and Viet cuisines, the future of oriental cuisine in catering.
The master of Sushi and top restaurants.
India at the table - a unique culinary kaleidoscope.
Oceania
Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania, Pacific Islands.
The most recent gastronomic colonization and the Eldorado of ethnic cuisines.
Feeding of Australian Aborigines and Bush Tuckers.
Cutting-edge food and wine.
Americas - 1492: Before and after.
Amerindian products, their origin, evolution and use up to the present day.
Agricultural crops and their exports worldwide.
Regional cuisines of North America, the legacy of the natives and the founding fathers, reworked and enriched in a modern way by American chefs.
Excellent winemaking productions: Mendoza, Napa and Maipo Valley.
Caribbean cuisines: Cuba, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Jamaica and the Antilles.
The protagonists of F&B in the Americas.
Africa - Mediterranean basin
The Arab heritage.
The colonizing couscous, favorite food of the French and the kebab.
The cuisines of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mali and Mauritania.
Sub-Saharan Africa and the island areas
Agricultural production and subsistence and pastoral systems.
Roots, misery and extreme nutrition.
Cuisine asmarina - case study.
South Africa: food melting-pot, Cape-Malay cuisine and Stellenbosch wines.
Among the Maasai of Tanzania and Kenya.
Europe
'Iconic dishes' made in Europe: Quick outlook.
International gastronomic glossary.
Bibliography
Students will refer to notes taken during the lessons and to the materials available on the course website https://elly2021.saf.unipr.it/enrol/index.php?id=159
Additionally, they will use the following volume:
Boudan, C., 2005, The kitchens of the world, Geopolitics of taste, Donzelli Ed.
Recommended texts for further information and consultation:
Davidson, A., 2002, The Penguin companion to Food, Penguin Ed.
Standage, T., 2010, An edible history of humanity - Ed. Code
Case, F., 2008, 1001 Foods You must try before you die, Cassel - Octopusbooks UK
Guarnaschelli Gotti, M., 2007, Great encyclopedia of gastronomy, Mondadori.
Teaching methods
Lectures, cooperative learning activities, audio-video contributions, gastronomic laboratory, presentation of case studies, debates. Seminar 'Entogastronomy - New frontier of taste for Europeans? '.
Assessment methods and criteria
Final written exam.
Other information
Lessons start: Monday 27 September 2021, 9.30 - 12.30.
Presentation of the course, of the didactic-operational methods and introduction to the cuisines of the world and the geography of food.
End of lessons: Monday 29 November 2021.
Location: Cinecity - University Campus, Room 6.
Possible variations caused by extraordinary situations will be communicated in time.
Student reception: to be agreed.
e-mail: pietro.dalessio@unipr.it
2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
- - -
